


Lips chapped and faded

by anna_ashes



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst, Eventual Sex, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hospitalization, Kissing, M/M, Major Illness, Patient Takao, Psychology student Midorima
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-08-16 09:47:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8097454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anna_ashes/pseuds/anna_ashes
Summary: Midorima Shintaro is a psychology student who gets an assigment to watch and study a patient for several months,the said patient happens to be Takao Kazunari,a young man who suffers of a horrible illness.Things become more complicated than either of them anticipated,will they be able to get over all the problems?





	1. Chapter 1

****

 

 

**_“Cancer! Today you have the highest rank, you might meet someone  that will change something important in your life. Your lucky item for today is a pink pen, make sure to carry it around!”_ **

 

That’s what Oha-asa said this morning and as usual he carried the said item with him. A young man, in his early twenty’s, was waiting patiently in a hospital hall to be called. Since morning everything was kind of stressful, besides having to go early to college, listening to a two-hour long speech and driving to the other part of the city, Midorima Shintaro was now waiting for a nurse to guide him through the hospital.

 

_“Here are your notebooks, you may use it as you like, writing an objective opinion, a personal view, diary like, story like, that is all up to you young men and ladies. Your duty is to analyze every detail of the person you are assigned to, everyday without fail. Try to find the reason behind any action or word. That being said, your project starts today, six months from now, on 28 th of April, you will have a full notebook packed with all the necessary information. Good luck!”_

The words of his professor still echoed in his mind. As a young psychology student,     Shintaro desired to find out more about the human mind, more about people, about their relationships, their ideas, their way of thinking, also for his own interest, he wanted to be able to communicate easier with others, so he thought this project was good for his own development and also for more credits and a higher grade at the end of the school year.

 

Staring at the thick notebook that was resting on his knees, he sighed and adjusted his glasses, taking out the pink pen, placing the date and name of the day on the first page, trying to get his mind busy as he still waited for the nurse.

Apparently he was assigned to a hospital patient, he still doesn’t know if it’s a man or a woman, young or old, what their problem is but…he will find soon.

 

_“ Tuesday, 1 st  of  November,2016._

_Day 1._

_After waiting for around half an hour, a nurse finally approached me. I was escorted to a large room, the usual white walls, a quite large hospital bed in the middle surrounded by many machines, their purpose still unknown to me. On the right side of the bed there was a nightstand, a few magazines and books laying unorganized on top and because I couldn’t stand to see them like that I arranged them based on their size.._

_I’ve been told by the same nurse that brought me in that the patient will be there soon, apparently they were gone for some daily check, so I waited patiently, actually curious to see the person I’m going to spend the next six months with.”_

 

 

“Haha! Looking good today granny!” A cheerful voice that echoed on the hall made Midorima turn his head. In the next moment, a quite tall young man entered followed by a doctor, he kept mumbling various things, too fast for the green haired to catch everything, but he stood up, bowing politely.

 

“Oh! Thanks doc! I didn’t think you would give me such a good looking surprise.” Laughing again, the black haired beauty stood in front of Midorima, scanning him with an arched eyebrow and a small smirk.

 

“Kazunari-kun, please don’t scare him, he is the student I told you about and I hope he will become your new friend, I know you’ve been quite lonely lately.” The doctor talked, greeting the giant in front of him. “Midorima-kun was it? I’m sorry for bringing Kazunari-kun so late, he was quite excited today to meet you and kept fooling around instead of letting us do the job quickly.”

 

“There isn’t any problem, I didn’t wait long anyway.” That was a lie, but he spoke politely, extending his hand to the shorter boy. “Midorima Shintaro, psychology student at University of Tokyo, glad to meet you.”

 

“So formal pff.” The dark haired boy chuckled, moving closer to Midorima, staring at him with such intense slate blue eyes, almost making him stare back in awe, but he just bit the inside of his cheek, looking in another direction. “I’m Takao Kazunari, I hope we’ll become good friends, also you don’t need to be so tense, chill out a bit.” Another laugh, a pat on the chest, and the interesting person sat on the bed.

 

_“He was a man, just a few months younger than me. Short, black hair, parted in the middle, not anything strange about it. Sense of humor a little too exaggerated, very lively, not running out of energy or subjects to talk about, slightly annoying after a while, but a pretty decent person overall.”_

Their first day was pretty normal, they started to know each other, Midorima didn’t ask too many questions and just let Takao talk. He found out that he is an only child, his parents were divorced and only his mother took care of him, his favorite food was kimchi, he liked sweet things, especially brownies, his sign was Scorpio, which Midorima was very happy about since Scorpios are the best matches for Cancers. Takao also likes basketball and a lot of other small things but…he still didn’t find why the young man was in the hospital, he actually didn’t look that sick..besides the slightly pale skin, but he decided not to ask for now.

 

_“At the end of our first meeting, Takao gave me a sticker that depicted a small, puffy bird holding a basketball, it also had a pair of glasses, maybe he was making fun of me in a way?_

_He avoided talking about his health, not telling me the reason for such a long stay in the hospital, I also didn’t ask, I will wait for the moment he will be ready to tell me._

_All in all, the boy didn’t seem unusual, quite normal for his age, the only thing that intrigued me were those piercing blue eyes, somehow when he stares at you, it feels as if he is staring into your soul, terrifying but interesting, unusual, **thrilling.**_

_End of day 1.”_

 

Back in his apartment, Midorima read again what he wrote in the notebook, adding the details in neat structure, thinking about the boy he just met, the only little thing he omitted was…Takao’s illness, he just couldn’t believe such a cheerful person would have…


	2. Chapter 2

**_“Scorpio, you are on the fourth place today, your luck depends on how you will approach the situations so be careful! There is a high chance to strike up a friendship with a new person so it’s indicated to keep close your lucky item for today, a rubber duck.”_ **

****

 

“Alright Kazunari-kun, seems everything is fine today, the new treatment works good.” The doctor smiled at the boy, taking his hand in order to take out the needle of the perfusion, usually they give him vitamins this way since he has a strict diet. “You won’t need this for today, but if you feel dizzy just call the nurse, she’ll give you some extra vitamins alright?”

 

“Sure thing Doc!” A large smile appeared on Takao’s face, he actually felt really good today so he considered going out for a walk later, there was only one thing that kept bothering him since morning. “Hey Doc, do you know when the glasses guy is coming today?”

 

“You mean Midorima-kun? But unfortunately I have no idea, maybe around noon like he did yesterday? You should ask for his number, it’s easier to talk to him this way.” The man chuckled, actually happy to see Takao so excited. The truth was…ever since the brunet came to the hospital, he’s been quite lonely, the man could clearly see that because he knew Takao for quite a few years now. “I’ll see you later then, oh and if your mother comes tell her to meet me.”

 

“Of course, I’ll tell her to bring you some of her special brownies too.” After the man left, Takao found himself alone again. He was used to it, but most of the times he gets extremely bored so he found ways to keep his mind distracted. One of his latest hobbies is origami, he thought it was amazing how from a few pieces of paper something so complex could come to life. Today he decided to do a colorful dragon thus the boy took out his phone, paper and some scissors, following the tutorial step by step as he crossed his legs and started doing the crafts.

 

It wasn’t actually easy for a twenty years old to be stuck in a hospital instead of going out with friends, he would love to go to parties, or hiking, or just having a picnic in a park, but he understood those things weren’t possible now, his illness was unpredictable… he may feel good now, but in the next hour something bad might happen. He wasn’t complaining, he had a loving mother, the nurses quickly became his friends, sneaking sweets for him from time to time, but sometimes…he needed someone his age, he needed to talk about funny subjects, new trends, sports...

 

Takao gets sad a lot of times, thinking if it’s actually worth the effort, he feels bad that his mother, a single mother, worked her every day of the week since morning until late at night, he was grateful of course but… he wishes for his mother to think about herself more. It hurt a lot to know his father simply left, he used to call for some occasions but since he heard about his condition the man simply disappeared, as if he vanished from the Earth. Thus, the brunet learned how to hide his emotions, and he did a great job with that, he always seems so optimistic, cheering on everybody, brightening their day and putting a smile on their face, at least he could do that, Takao didn’t want to burden people with his problems or moods, but instead to give them hope, to make them happy even for a small amount of time.

 

_‘I wonder what he thinks about me..’_ The thought crossed his mind, sighing heavily as he stared down to the colored paper, then the door opened, his quick eyes turning to see who it was and a huge smile appeared on his face, his slightly pointy canines showing.

 

 

 

_“Wednesday, 2 nd of  November,2016._

_Day 2._

_I arrived at the hospital at exactly 11:45 AM, today I was late by 45 minutes because of the traffic, but more importantly because I tried finding a certain object for the patient I’ve been assigned to. His horoscope for today said he might get a new friend so to increase his chances I began searching for a small rubber duck, his lucky item for today._

_I really hoped he will get a new friend because when I first entered the room his expression seemed sad..”_

 

But in the next moment the warm smile made Midorima’s heart stop for a brief moment. He never saw someone so happy to see him, usually people perceived him as a mature and quiet person, a loner perhaps, he sometimes wish people would come talk to him because he is too anxious to start a conversation, this was one of the main reasons he chose to participate to this project, Midorima wanted to change.

 

“Hello Takao, how are you feeling today?” He forced himself to say the first words, but soon relaxed when the boy spoke, somehow around Takao the green haired felt calmer than around other people, this boy had something that made people feel good and Midorima found it fascinating.

 

“A lot better now that you are here, I’m getting bored of this dragon.” The beauty rolled his eyes in a dramatic way, showing him the half finished dragon. “This is actually harder than I thought and I don’t think I have enough green paper to finish it, which really sucks.”

 

Impressed and a little surprised of his hobby since at first glance Takao seemed as the impatient type of person, Midorima smiled, a small, almost shy one. “It looks really good, I wish I had the talent to make something like this.”

 

“Oh but it’s easy! You just have to watch the tutorial a few times, basically, you fold paper and wish for the best.” Giggling, the brunet looked over the taller man that sat on the chair next of his bed. He was quite handsome he won’t deny, a little awkward when it comes to talking, but he seemed a nice person, maybe he will even be able to crack that little shell the has around him and find out more details about this interesting man. _‘Yeah~ That would be fun.’_

 

“If you say so…maybe you could teach me some time.” A little embarrassed by his request, Midorima cleared his throat and fixed his glasses. “Uhm, I actually have something for you today. While I was reading my horoscope this morning I happened to pass over Scorpio’s and well…it said your lucky item for today was this.”

 

The young man took out a small box out of his bag, opening it to show Takao a small, yellow rubber duck with a red beak.

 

A moment of silence.

 

A small chuckle, followed quickly by a smile, nothing more, making Midorima a little anxious. He didn’t like it? Maybe he thinks it’s a stupid thing..? Cursing himself for bringing such a thing he wanted to say something, to apologize perhaps, but was stopped by Takao’s expression, his blue eyes were radiating with happiness, making Midorima’s chest feel warm..tight..it was such a weird feeling, but not unpleasant.

 

“Thank you.. This is actually really nice and cute of you Midorima.” He was honest, it was an amazing surprise because up until now no one actually brought him such a silly gift, but Midorima seemed so sincere with his action, not bringing it just too seem nice or polite.

 

“What else my horoscope said?” Curious, the brunet asked, still amusing himself with the new toy.

 

“Oh.. about Scorpios making new friends today.”

 

 

Perhaps…Midorima was his new friend?

 

 

 

_“His expressions kept changing, from the sad look he had when I first entered, to a big smile, followed by something that looked like a slight blush, my subject ended being energetic again, as if something boosted his high spirits, perhaps the toy I brought for him? I can’t tell for sure, but Takao Kazunari sure is an interesting person, with lots of hidden things._

_One thing really caught my attention, **that contagious laugh.** ”_

“Hey Midorima, today I’m feeling really good so would you like to take a walk?” The brunet asked after a while, giving the other boy a gentle smile.

 

Of course he accepted, he actually was glad Takao was feeling good, somehow Midorima really felt pretty calm around him unlike with other people, and it was only the second day.

 

“Your clothes seem kind of thin, don’t you have a hoodie around? It’s pretty chilly.” Midorima asked, fixing his glasses.

 

 

“Not really..I don’t go out often so mom didn’t bring me one.”

“Take this then.”

“Wha-“

“Just take it Takao.”

“But you-“

“Don’t make me repeat myself, _nanodayo_.”

 

There was a moment of silence, Midorima realizing he accidentally used that word again, Takao staring at him with wide eyes, surprised, but switched instantly into a loud snort, laughing so hard it almost brought tears to his eyes, the green haired on the other side turned pink, sulking as he looked away.

 

“That’s the funniest thing I heard today! You’re so silly Midorima!” The boy continued to laugh between words, covering his face with one hand.

 

“Shut up Takao..” He simply mumbled, placing his coat on Takao’s shoulders and already walking towards the door. “Are you coming or what?”

 

“Yes yes, I’m sorry.” The first thing he realized was how huge the coat was compared to his body. It wasn’t too thick, but warm enough, and also his scent was still so strong..almost making him blush.

 

Smiling, the brunet buried his small, cute nose in the material, smiling widely as he felt a warm sensation in his chest. “Hey! Wait for me!” He called after Midorima, putting on some slippers and running after the taller man, giggling at how ridiculously big the sleeves were.

 

_“When I first offered him my coat he refused, but then when I placed it over his shoulders his expression totally changed, as if he was a small kid that got the candy they wanted. It is interesting the way he reacts in certain situations, refusing help from others but being the first to offer it. I may say it’s almost as if he is afraid to accept things from other people, the subject Takao Kazunari is truly a strange individual.”_

 

“Midorima do you have any siblings?” The question came out of nowhere as they walked, heading towards a small park inside the hospital’s yard.

“A younger sister, she’s fifteen.” He replied in a soft tone, looking over the smaller boy with a small smile across his face, and he had to admit… Takao looked kind of cute all drowning in the big coat. “What about you?”

 

“I’m an only child, mom didn’t remarry after my father left and I think now it’s too late for her to have more children haha.” He laughed, but it seemed a little fake and Midorima sensed it might be a touchy subject for Takao so he didn’t ask details about his father.

 

“Oh? How old is she?”

 

“Thirty-seven, she had me pretty early, she was only seventeen, but my mom is amazing, she’s the best person in the world and her desserts are amazing! I’ll ask her to make something for you too.” Takao grinned, looking up at the green haired and it was ridiculous how contagious his smile was..

 

“It’s alright you don’t have to, but she’s not that old actually, what makes you think she can’t have kids?”

 

“Well..she’s really busy and sometimes she doesn’t even have time for herself.” A soft sigh left his mouth, making him look down. “I feel bad because I can’t be by her side, she works her ass off everyday in order to pay for my treatment and even find time to make me sweets and tasty food…I just wish I could offer her more, what she actually deserves but…I’m stuck here.” When Midorima heard a small sniff, he just couldn’t ignore Takao, but he really didn’t know what to say or do, he was awful at conversations or comforting people.

 

 Taking a sharp breath, he pushed himself out of his comfort bubble and wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulders, pulling him a little closer.

 

“I believe your mother loves you deeply and that’s why she does those things for you, so don’t feel bad for the kindness she shows you…keep fighting and get well so you can take care of her later.” He couldn’t look at Takao right then, he was a little embarrassed of his own reaction but it seemed the boy needed a small push, a nice word, and for some reason Midorima could bear to see his pained face, he looked so much better with a smile on and sparkly eyes.

 

_“It was a little unusual for me to act that way, but Takao Kazunari has this effect on people, making them be more opened, placing a smile on their face, surprisingly he had this effect on me as well. From now on I’ll try to be more professional.”_

 

 

They found out they actually have quite a few things in common while they sat on a bench, talking about their highschool memories, the sports they like, favorite foods, and Midorima found himself slowly feeling more and more comfortable around the brunet.

 

“You know what? I think that horoscope of yours is saying the truth, I really did made a cool friend today, maybe this guy helped too.” Takao snorted a little, taking out the cute rubber duck, continuing to giggle as he pressed it causing the toy to make a squeaky sound.

 

Midorima then found himself supporting his head with his hand, watching the young man in front of him with a soft expression, observing how a slight shade of pink painted his cheeks as he laughed, how those adorable pointy canines peeked past his lips, how his hair slightly fell on his face, brushing over the black lashes.

 

Midorima then found himself…blushing, because of the thoughts he had? Because of Takao calling him cool? Calling him his friend? He never experienced this kind of feeling before, it was confusing, but not bad.

 

“Also, friends needs nicknames, so hmm… what should I call you? Mido-kun? Mido-chan? Shintaro… Ah! I know, Shin-chan would suit you the best!”

 

**_Shin-chan._ **

 

_“Or so I thought, because the next moment he called me by the nickname I completely lost my composure. It felt more like Takao was the one observing me and I was his subject, but to be honest, it was a nice surprised, making me realize none of my so called friends never gave me nickname._

~~_In that moment my chest was filled with an unfamiliar warmth, it was pleasant._ ~~

_End of day 2.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... here is the second chapter guys,I hope you will enjoy it. I'm sorry if there are some mistakes or typos,please point them out for me if there are any cx
> 
> But wow! 11 kudos and 2 subscribers in a few days,this is really cool q.q thank you very much!


	3. Chapter 3

**_“Cancer be careful today, even if you are on the third place there is a possibility that something unexpected might occur and bedevil you. Be patient and approach the problem with calm. Your lucky item for today is a pair of red mittens.”_ **

 

 

More days passed, November’s air became colder with each day, but the warmth Midorima felt in his chest grew with every moment spent with Takao. Surprisingly he got really close to the boy and they found a lot of common things to talk about, even if sometimes the black haired beauty gets on his nerves with his silly remarks or bad puns, he still enjoyed his presence. He even met his mother, the woman was just a little shorter than Takao, and despite her tired eyes she always wore a big smile on her face and treated his just like her own son.

 

Sure, Midorima loved his family but…they’ve mostly been kind of distant, always worrying about his studies, his life, not giving him the warmth he needed, but this woman who barely knew him showed so much kindness and love.

 

_“Thursday, 24 th of November,2016_

_Day 24._

_Scorpio’s rank has been pretty low in the past few days and today they’re on the last place… I really don’t wish for Takao to feel sad or to get in any trouble and since he taught me the basics for origami and today’s lucky item is an origami figure I decided to make it myself, unfortunately I’m still not good at this so maybe I’ll ask one of my friends for help.”_

 

It was around five in the morning when the young man started writing in the diary, sighing as he stared at the mess on his desk.

 

‘How did this happen?...’ He was usually a person who likes his place to be clean and always make sure everything is in place but lately.. his mind was a mess. He tried to understand why and looking through the notes he has taken in the past few weeks one thing was obvious: Midorima got really close to Takao.

 

Ridiculously close he might say. Lately all the notes started describing Takao in a more…subjective way, the green haired pouring his thoughts and questions for the boy on the blank pages of the notebook.

 

Sighing again, Midorima took off his glasses to rub his tired eyes, finally deciding to get some sleep, but a certain brunet was messing with his brain. Was he getting too close to Takao? Are they even going to keep in touch after the assignment ends? What does he exactly feels for Takao… was it empathy? Does he feels sorry for the boy? Pity? Friendship? Maybe… _‘It can’t be…’_

_“Lately he seemed to be hiding something, his beautiful smile would fade from time to time, also he won’t allow me to talk to his doctor, always finding excuses. It’s quite unusual for Takao or maybe…I got his character all wrong? At first he was opened about everything but from what I know Scorpios can be very secretive. Is there something he doesn’t want me to find out? Maybe he still doesn’t trust me enough.”_

 

 

The morning sun warmed the boring white room a little, the steel blue eyes watching the shadows of the now naked trees. Again, after getting a little better, he felt powerless…the new treatment went good for a while but the side effects hit him like a train, making his body ache, his mind hazy, everything felt awful again and he was tired to put the false happy face even if he had to. Takao can’t let his mother see him depressed, or Midorima…

 

The boy just now realized that he might feel something more for the green haired, he was one of the few people to actually pay attention to his rants or praise him for little things, or give him cute gifts while having an adorable pout on their face, or those gorgeous green eyes staring at him… studying him, it sent shivers down his spine.

 

Biting his dry lips, Takao groaned a little as he forced himself up, rubbing his temples in order to get rid of the horrible headache, but it was useless.

 

Another sigh. Another push. Another sharp pain through his fragile body. He needs to endure, to get better, to fight. Yes, to fight, for the ones close to him, for his mother… To prove everyone that he is worthy, to prove himself that he is strong, to prove Midorima that his praises weren’t in vain.

 

So Takao stood up, forcing himself to talk near the cold window, staring at the scenery. The trees looked sad, there was no trace of bright colors or life, yes… _’Winter is close.’_

But suddenly something caught his attention, a beautiful green color standing out in the gray landscape, making him smile and lean against the glass, watching his actions.

 

Midorima stopped at the front gate searching in his pockets for something, he could clearly see him from there and to his surprise, he took out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one and gently blowing the smoke in the air. He didn’t expect the man to have such a habit, but Takao found it quite amusing since the other always talks about health.

 

Then again, the brunet found himself fascinated by the way he elegantly put the cigarette between his lips, the smoke dancing in different patterns as it left his mouth. Fascinating, but deadly… and the way he seemed a little tensed, he sure was cold and Takao would actually love to warm up those frozen lips.

 

In less than ten minutes Midorima was knocking at his door, entering silently as he gave the brunet a small smile, taking off his coat.

 

“Quite a nasty habit, don’t you think Shin-chan? And you kept lecturing me about health while you have fun with tabacco~” He chuckled, leaning his back against the wall near the window.

 

“Ah.. I’m sorry, do I smell like cigarettes? I used wet wipes and gum to get rid of it but..”

“ Haha, you’re cute when you get embarrassed, but no, I just happened to see you outside.”

 

But the young man just shook his head and sighed, getting closer to Takao, watching him, feeling the need to touch that pale skin, to caress those bony cheeks, to comfort him.. Once he was right in front of the boy, Midorima realized something was off, he was tired, his eyes didn’t have **that** usual sparkle, his lips were so dry and chapped that if he even tried to smile the skin would break, forming deep cuts, tainting the white skin with crimson red.

 

He wanted to… No. He _needed_ to touch them, to heal them somehow.

 

“You are tired..” Stating the obvious, Midorima wanted to punch himself for being so bad with words, but instead, to both their surprise, he took Takao’s hand, squeezing it softly as he guided him to the bed. “It’s gonna be alright, I have faith in you Takao.”

 

Why he said it? He doesn’t know, but it just felt right, the brunet needed to hear it, needed someone to support him even if he never requests that. The poor boy always tried to take care of others instead of himself.

The brunet cracked a smile, his blue orbs becoming a little wet as he looked at the beautiful person in front of him.

 

He was just about to say something but was startled when Midorima dropped a little bag in his lap and turned his face, as usual fixing his glasses. As he looked inside, Takao spotted a few origami frogs, some a little clumsily made. It was so cute he almost died and took one out, giggling.

 

“Today Scorpio has the lowest rank so I thought that maybe having more lucky items will increase your luck nanodayo..” Midorima blushed, feeling really embarrassed and even a little anxious that Takao might think those are lame.

 

“I tried to use what you taught me and I watched a few tutorials but they still didn’t come out perfect and-“

“Shin-chan..”

“ And even if I tried a lot of times I ruined most of them so they’re not as good as yours..”

“ I like them. A lot actually, especially the eyes you drew.”

Sure they weren’t perfect, but from the little paper cuts on the tips of his fingers Takao could see that Midorima worked hard for those, for him.. He did that in order to make him feel better, he gave him so many silly things using the excuse with the lucky items, but he was grateful, happy, so happy that his heart pounded into his chest as if it will come out any moment.

 

“Thank you..” Breaking the silence, Takao hooked their pinky fingers together, a soft blush coloring his cheeks. “It means a lot to me, really...”

 

The green haired bit his cheek, cracking a small grin. It was amazing how a few words could affect the mood of a person, making them feel so many things at once. More, Midorima was surprised how comfortable he became near Takao, he wasn’t so anxious about starting a conversation anymore and also began to realize how easy you can determine someone’s mood by small details such as the tone of their voice or the way they move their eyes or hands, it fascinated him…

 

But right now he couldn’t even think about the assignment since the black haired beauty looked so broken, today, he decided, he’s going to let Takao relax, not asking any question, not bothering him with unnecessary things, just sitting by his side.

 

Noticing that the boy leaned against the pillow with eyes closed, the green haired squeezed his hand a little. “Does it hurt?” The question came out as a whisper, almost a little afraid to say it out loud.

 

“Yeah..” Takao replied truthfully, sighing. “The new treatment they gave me went pretty good for a while, but the side effects are kicking in and it’s horrible..”

 

He was surprised by the honest reply, most of the times he would sugarcoat everything but now..

 

“You know… It’s hard to live with cancer, I’m stuck here, I can barely move sometimes, but at least I still have a chance. I didn’t tell you yet, maybe you heard from my doctor, I have chronic leukemia, basically it moves slower than the usual leukemia, also harder to cure, but I’ve been doing this treatment for a while now so I hope it’s gonna be okay. I really want to be able to go home for Christmas, maybe Shin-chan will join us?” Takao chuckled at the last part, turning his attention to the tall boy next to him.

 

“I would really like to have you there with mom and I…”

 

But Midorima didn’t say anything for now, stroking his knuckles with his thumb, thinking about his confession, about his invitation, so many things running around his mind.

 

It was _fate._

 

Definitely the destiny, he was totally sure the fate wanted him to meet Takao, he was one hundred percent sure that their meeting wasn’t unintentional, because right in that moment, in that white, boring room where the smell of cleaning products intoxicated him, where the sound of the machines drove him crazy, where those slate blue eyes followed his every move, where the usual giggles filled his eyes, the now… _silent_ room… Midorima Shintaro realized: **_‘I want to make you happy.’_**

 

“I’d love to spend Christmas with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes chapter 3, thank you so much for your kudos and bookmarks! It means a lot!  
> Unfortunately..I kinda had a writer's block and the chapter didn't come out as I wanted, please forgive me for this, I promise the next chapter will be better,I have quite some things planned for these two love birds.
> 
> There might be mistakes and typos but I'm too tired right now to check them all and I really need a cigarette,so while I go out for a smoke enjoy it and let me know in the comments what you think about the story so far.~


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for not updating sooner, I've had a horrible time lately. I just started my first year of college and it's awful, I just want to hide under a rock, plus I've felt really shitty and depressed because of school and my parents and a lot of other stuff. I've been so mad at myself for not writting this sooner, and tonight I decided to finally finish the forth chapter.   
> It may seem rushed or a little confusing maybe? I don't know.. it's like 5 in the morning and I'm a wreck,I wrote this impulsively without thinking much of it, just letting things flow.  
> Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this, I promise I will try to get better soon,I know I can do better than this with the fic and I really want it to be good.
> 
> Kudos,comments,subs and bookmarks are all welcomed.

**_“You have to take it easy today Scorpio, even if you’re on the 10 th place, don’t worry, better days are coming soon! Make sure to have your lucky item close, today’s items are flowers.”_ **

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Sighing for the millionth time that day, the brunet kept staring at his phone, waiting for any sign, for a simple message but…there haven’t been any new messages in the past three days, it felt like weeks. Takao became so used to Midorima’s presence everyday that even spending a few hours without the man felt horrible, he felt lonely, more than ever.

A month has passed since their meeting, a month in which he felt so alive despite his harsh treatment, despite his condition, Midorima never pitied him, he never looked down on him, actually he tried to support him in his own ways, which Takao appreciated so much, he always looked forward to the next day’s lucky item, already having quite an impressive collection, he simply loved the attention. The brunet also learned more about the man, things he likes, what kind of music he was listening to, and quite to his surprise the green haired enjoyed listening to some new pop songs. Despite their different characters, the two got along really well, spending full days just ranting about their lives, their future plans…

Talking about future plans, Takao was a little reluctant to even dream about what he would do in the next few months, or next year. Most of his time is spent in the hospital, sure he tries to be positive and optimistic about everything, cheering up the people around him every time he gets the chance.

But there are times like this, when he finds himself all alone in the quiet room, the smell of disinfectant and medicine filling his nostrils, making him feel nauseous, these times when he realizes that he is…lonely, craving for attention, craving for someone to be by his side, craving for the warmth he lost long time ago. He was so conflicted about so many things, so confused about why he has to go through this, so scared about what future will bring, he doesn’t know if this is going to continue for much longer, if he can endure it more… For all he knows, there is a chance for him to die in any moment, no one can tell if his condition is going to worsen or not, or how the new treatment will work, the side effects were already bad enough, sometimes making him want to simply peel his skin off, to end the tremendous pain, not only physical but it was affecting him mentally as well.

_‘I need to be strong.. for mom..’_ Takao thought, biting his bottom lip quite hard. Yes…his mother was the most important, it hurt him more to see his poor parent work herself to death in order to provide money for his treatment, maybe this was the main reason he was so mad about the whole thing. The woman simply threw away the thoughts about herself, about her health, about everything, sure Takao was thankful for her determination but then again… There are times like this when his head is filled with horrible thoughts, hating himself for not being able to do a thing, hating himself for making others worry, hating himself for being so powerless, hating the life for being so unfair with people, hating the fate for giving him this illness, hating the pain he caused to his mother, hating his father for leaving them, hating… Hating himself for being alive in such state, maybe it was better if he would…

If he would just…? _‘No! I want to live! I want to get better and be able to have a normal life, to go outside, to eat anything I want, to go on dates and make new friends… I want to start my life all over again.’_

Without even noticing, a few salty droplets rolled slowly on his cheeks, feeling his chest tight. He needed someone in that moment, just to stay with him a few moments, at least until he calms down.

Glancing at his phone again, Takao groaned, being so frustrated that after a month of spending almost every minute together Midorima dares to disappear without saying anything, he could at least send him a message! It’s been three days since the man stopped coming, at first he thought he was busy with something, but he simply ignored every message Takao has sent, and he spammed him with at least twenty messages in half an hour until he decided to give up, the slight sadness being replaced with pure frustration and anger. Deciding it’s not worth consuming himself like that, he ignored the thoughts of Midorima for the next days, but then when he was stuck in the room with nothing else to do, the brunet’s mind kept flying in different directions, inevitably the green haired popping in his head.

That’s when Takao realized, he missed Midorima.. and more than that, he might actually have a crush on the man, which made things even harder. Hell, he doesn’t even know if Midorima is straight or not, also he never had a relationship, or an actual crush…everything was new to him, giving the boy a slight feeling of uneasiness.

_‘Do I like him? I do miss his presence but…’_ Sighing, deep in his thoughts, Takao took a small rabbit plushie in his arms, squeezing it tight. _“A lucky item.”_ The man said back then, but now that he thinks about it, did Midorima bring all those things just to cheer him up? Or is there another reason? Does Midorima have some feelings for him? _‘That’s how it usually happens in the dramas I’m watching.’_  

The boy looked at the situation from all points of view, creating crazy scenarios in his head, quite intrigued by the position he was in right now. After a while though he decided it’s time for a break, to relax a little, he also has to go to chemotherapy in like five hours, not that he was looking forward to it, but meanwhile he searched a movie, filling the free time he had.

 

Halfway through the movie, the door suddenly opened in a harsh way, someone bursting inside with a huge bouquet of flowers, striped and yellow tulips more precisely.

“Takao!” A deep voice suddenly spoke, a little out of breath, startling the brunet. When he realized it was actually Midorima, Takao jumped from the bed, hugging the taller man tight.

“Shin-chan! I missed you so bad! What the hell happened?!” Pulling back, he frowned and pouted. “You ignored my texts and calls, you disappeared for three days straight and now you appear as if nothing happened? I’ve been worried you know..”

_‘He missed me..’_ “I’m really sorry, I lost my phone in a taxi and I also caught a very bad cold so I’d prefer you would keep a little distance between us. Also…I brought you these, you have no idea how hard it is to find tulips this time of the year.” Midorima explained, giving him the beautiful flowers, the pink color from his cold cheeks becoming more visible.

Realizing he was mad for nothing, Takao smiled apologetically holding the bouquet. “This is so sweet of you..” With that, the boy tip-toed in front of Midorima, placing a small peck really close to the corner of his mouth, totally freaking out inside like a teenager who touched their crush for the first time.

Coughing a little, Midorima looked at him and bit the inside of his cheek. “Unfortunately I can’t stay too long with you today, I just came to explain what happened and to.. bring you your lucky items.” He sighed, lifting a hand to fix the dark hair a little. “You don’t look too good.. Is everything okay with you? With your treatment?”

“Ah yes yes, I haven’t slept much because it hurt quite bad after yesterday’s chemo, but now that you came I feel a lot better.” Chuckling, the brunet showed him a big smile, his slightly pointy canines standing out, shining like the white pearls. “Will you come tomorrow? It’s boring here all alone.”

“I will for sure.” Promised the green haired, even smiling a little, pleased to see the boy being his cheerful self.

They sat together for a few more minutes, talking about casual stuff and Takao actually realized that he feels more relaxed when the other is around, but at the same time a prickling sensation in his stomach, tending to lean closer to him. _‘Are these the butterflies everyone is talking about?’_

Chuckling at the thought, he stood up and hugged Midorima when it was time for him to leave, pouting playfully at him. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow! Bring me something nice~”

“Hmm, depends if you behave nicely.” They both smiled, Midorima holding his hand, looking almost reluctant to let it go. _‘F_ ee _ls so warm..’_

 

In the end, the psychology student left, leaving Takao alone once again, the only difference, now the boy was in high spirits, as if he completely forgot about the bad mood he had just a few hours ago. Humming, he looked at the beautiful tulips, so amused by the fact that the green haired actually searched so much for these flowers.

He remembered one of the nurses talking about flower symbolism and getting a little curious he got out his phone and did a little research, what he found though, left him...speechless.

 

**_ Striped tulips – ‘You have beautiful eyes.’ _ **

**_ Yellow tulips – ‘There’s sunshine in your smile.’   _ **


End file.
